"today's Internet is killing our culture" and an actual heinous murder

[browngirl]

So I read in the paper the other day about Andrew Keen's new book, The Cult of the Amateur: How today's Internet is killing our culture. I haven't yet read it, so I shouldn't really judge it, though my first reaction is to roll my eyes and recall Victorian exhortations concerning the evils of reading.

I thought of it yesterday when I read about Aaron Hall, who was brutally murdered (to pathetically understate the situation); those charged with his murder are trying to use the "Gay Panic" defence (which has worked before, which is just appallingly wrong as well as worrying). I learned about Mr. Hall's death via the Internet, because it has been woefully underreported, and that made me think about Mr. Keen's statement that this very sort of news transmission is a *bad* idea.

So.

Meanwhile, I have letters to write.

Comments

[arionhunter.livejournal.com]

What I find utterly hilarious is that Keen has his own blog (http://andrewkeen.typepad.com/), where he happily adds to the "cacophony of amateurs."

It's also interesting to note that in 2000 Keen's bio for the Digital Hollywood (http://www.digitalhollywood.com/NYWednesdayWorkFour.html) conference states: "His model of integrating commerce, community and content is now acknowledged as the most viable business model for building a successful Internet business model."

That sounds suspiciously like the Web 2.0 companies he derides.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

I am shocked, *shocked*, let me tell you, to be told this. So he's a hypocrite as well as a Luddite!